Client Organizations Research Articles

Seeking stability in unstable employment: An exploratory study of temporary agency workers' career self-management

Increasingly dynamic labor markets have caused a steep increase in nonstandard workers. This study focuses on agency temps who work via labor market intermediaries at client organizations. The short-term and frequently changing nature of their jobs creates uncertainty about their employment and personal stability. Based on an explorative qualitative interview study among 27 agency temps, we studied how agency temps self-manage their careers. Our study reveals that the precarious career environment and financial dependence on agency work make agency temps' career self-management different from existing depictions of career self-management in the literature. Specifically, we reveal that agency temps' career self-management engagement is relatively short-term and primarily reactive. We find that they focus on survival and stability as career goals, and they engage in four career behaviors: (1) moonlighting, (2) self-profiling, (3) compensatory career behavior, and (4) job search behavior. Subsequently, we identify two negative long-term outcomes of these career behaviors: (1) being locked-in and (2) experiencing resource loss during unemployment. Accordingly, this study contributes to the nascent literature on temporary agency work and career self-management by identifying career behaviors and consequences in a precarious and volatile context. Our findings can help career counselors and policy-makers safeguard the career self-management of agency temps.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE IMPACT OF MANAGEMENT KNOWLEDGE ON PROJECT DURATION THROUGH MULTIPLE DECISION-MAKING STEPS

The purpose of this study was to identify the management knowledge areas that significantly contribute to the delay of road construction projects and compare between countries. In this paper one of a probability sampling called simple random sampling technique was used to select sample from client, consultants, and contractors organizations directly involved in roads construction in Addis Ababa City. Four statistical tests: normality, reliability, spearman’s rank correlation, and Mann Whitney U test were conducted to identify and rank the roads delay factors accepted by all the stakeholders. Moreover, Road construction delay factors identified from previous studies conducted in Himachal Pradesh State and Ghana. A criterion to assign the identified delay factors into the ten management knowledge areas was defined and a modified equation called the relative aggregate importance index was developed to compute the impact of the management knowledge areas on project duration. As a result, the management knowledge areas namely: Integration, schedule, and stakeholders in the case of Addis Ababa City road projects, schedule and scope in the case of Himachal Pradesh State road projects, and integration, scope and quality management knowledge areas in the case of Ghana road projects have been identified as significant contributor to the extension road construction duration.

Design and Implementation of an Executive Search Customer Relationship Management System

An executive search company seeks and recruits’ talents for client organizations. Therefore, it is essential for an executive search company to establish well-maintained relationships with their client and candidate talents. A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system helps with the task of maintaining customer relationships. The underlying database is a crucial component of a CRM system because the database is responsible for storing the information of the clients and other data associated to the executive search tasks. This paper designs a database specifically for the scenario and requirements of an executive search company, according to the daily operations that the company needs to carry out. This paper designs the entities and relationships between entities based on the executive search requirements. A relational model of the database design is also included in this paper. This paper implements the database in SQL. Finally, this paper implements a user interface to manage and maintain the database of the CRM system.

Implementing relational contracting in a public client organization: the influence of policy clashes, resources and project autonomy

Relational contracting models are increasingly being used for large and complex public infrastructure construction projects, but both practices and outcomes still widely vary. When analyzing the causes of failures and successes, most studies have focused on practices at the project level. In this paper, we add to the current understanding of relational contracting in public construction by examining the influence of factors at the organizational and institutional levels. We develop a framework based on theories of policy implementation and analyze two projects piloting a new Early Contractor Involvement model in a large public infrastructure client organization. In this case, a previous marketization policy, prescribing low client involvement in project processes, interfered with the relational contracting policy. This policy clash was not openly acknowledged from the start, despite causing significant confusion and frustration at the project level, but became recognizable largely through its consequences for resource allocation and managerial attention. We conclude that policy ambiguities, combined with a project-based implementation context, produce local interpretations and variations in relational contracting models. When project autonomy is high, industry-level agreements, standards and resources are important to align practices also between projects within the same client organization.

A Systematic Review of the Business Contingencies Influencing Broader Adoption: Modern Methods of Construction (MMC)

The existing body of knowledge on the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) reflects their benefits and relative advantages, particularly in addressing contemporary construction challenges. However, the uptake of such methods is minimal, particularly in the public construction sector. The low uptake has led MMC firms to liquidation due to the lack of an economy of scale. Studies, particularly recently, explain that the low adoption rates are linked to the inappropriateness of existing business models responsible for driving broader demand. This paper assumes that the lag in MMC adoption could be related to the ability of supply business models to communicate confidence to demand. Public clients are foreseen as important target customers, acquiring influential status across the industry, with an expected potential to drive innovation adoption across the sector. A systematic review method allows scholars to assess existing literature by critically locating and analysing relative publications to approach the study’s aim. Through utilising this method, the study classifies the arguments against the Business Model Canvas (BMC), and argues the results with respect to contingency theory, and in turn, synthesizing a new meaning that reveals the considerations needed to boost business model performance when penetrating the public sector. Hence, the critical analyses of 70 studies relative to MMC, led to proposing the contingencies that are believed to better structure business models. Results suggest that MMC firms can embrace specific reforms and gain more momentum when communicating confidence to public client organisations; however, a guideline that conceptualises the interactions between the elements and their influence on the decision-making does not exist, and this may be inhibiting coherency on how MMC businesses drive broader demand. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to utilise the contingency theory as an attempt to disseminate previous efforts to explain the low adoption of MMC in the UK public sector.

Investigating Cloud ERP Adoption in Australian Higher Education Institutions: A Case Study

Background: Some higher education institutions (HEIs) are constantly under pressure to deliver superior quality education services at low costs through deploying traditional on-premise systems. Cloud-based enterprise resource planning (Cloud ERP) presents an ideal opportunity to lower HEI costs in terms of scalability and pay-per-use features. Adoption of Cloud ERP is, however, still low for the context of HEIs. The successful adoption of Cloud ERP depends not only on the support of system providers but also on understanding Cloud ERP adoption from the client organization perspective. This study explores Cloud ERP adoption in the context of Australian HEIs. Method: This study adopted a case study methodology involving the in-depth semi structured interviews of several key stakeholders. Thematic analysis was used to analyze and interpret interview data. Results: Based on the case study, our findings suggest that this particular Australian HEI was subject to strategic, operational, technological, and financial motives originating from either internal or external locus. Most of the expected motives were realized, except the full flexibility of Cloud ERP. Four major challenges of Cloud ERP implementation were found. Conclusion: This study empirically investigates Cloud ERP adoption in HEIs by identifying the motives, realized benefits and challenges of Cloud ERP adoption, which bridges the research gap of this topic. This study could assist Cloud ERP providers to adjust their marketing strategies to promote the adoption rate of Cloud ERP in HEIs. Understanding the motives, challenges and benefits of IT adoption in HEIs facilitates judicious decision-making prior to selection and minimizes the possibility of the failure of Cloud ERP adoption.

Examining the Influence of UK Public Clients’ Characteristics on Their Own Innovation-Decision towards the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC)

Construction has long been identified as an industry resistant to change and innovation, a reality that has prevailed to shape its overall reputation. The public sector includes an influential client type that dominates the major percentage of construction demand and is subject to public law. The Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) have been championed recently by the UK government and early adopters upon the emergence of data indicating their effectiveness in addressing key construction challenges. However, the uptake of MMC has been low among UK construction clients, particularly among public client organisations. Theories emerge across decades to inform researchers of variable clusters that can aid a broader understanding of decision-making and innovation adoption. One of the popular innovation theories suggests a relation between the characteristics of decision-makers and their own innovation decisions. This paper, therefore, aims to investigate the characteristics that are responsible for public clients’ low MMC uptake despite the associated relative advantages. Overall, 91 public client organisations have responded to this research’s survey, reflecting their organisation’s characteristics in line with the constructs adapted from the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory. Results suggest that among the ten influences that are captured from a detailed review of the literature, confidence in MMC firms supersedes all other factors in critically influencing the organisation’s favourable decision towards using MMC. Evidence provided in this paper suggests that a communication issue is presenting itself in the public construction sector, which is evident by the lack of confidence that public clients have in MMC businesses. This is the first study to utilise quantitative means to examine construction clients’ characteristics and relate the same to the adoption of construction innovation. Future research is encouraged to acknowledge the most influencing characteristics and detail how such knowledge can be embraced by supply to develop business models that can orchestrate better confidence in the public sector.

Software integration model: An assessment tool for global software development vendors

AbstractThe trend toward global software development (GSD) has grown tremendously in recent years because of the rapid acceleration in information and communication technologies (ICTs). The reason for the changing trend toward GSD is to develop high‐quality software with minimum cost and time with round the clock. Despite the benefits gained from GSD, there are certain challenges associated with it. Literature reveals that software integration is an integral challenge in the GSD domain and vendors face numerous difficulties in integrating the software components to build the final product. The main aim of this research study is to develop a software integration model (SIM) that will assist GSD vendors to address the factors linked with various stages of software integration. This model is basically designed for GSD vendor organizations to assess and improve their software integration‐related activities. However, it is also beneficial for GSD client organizations in getting knowledge about the status of the GSD vendor organization's software integration capabilities. The research design is composed of well‐known research strategies including systematic literature review (SLR), questionnaire survey, and case study approach. This research study yielded the SIM. We identified nine critical success factors (CSFs) and 10 critical barriers (CBs) in software integration through SLR‐1 by extracting the data from a sample of 105 papers. Similarly, we also identified a total of 132 practices/solutions, for the identified CSFs and CBs in software integration, through SLR‐2 from a sample of 40 papers. These identified factors and practices were validated from 96 global software industry experts/practitioners through online survey. The identified CSFs, CBs, and their associated practices have been arranged adequately across the six software integration levels of SIM. We have adapted SIM structure from capability maturity model integration (CMMI), implementation maturity model (IMM), and software outsourcing vendors readiness model (SOVRM). We also conducted six case studies in the software industry for SIM applicability and validity. The participants' feedback from the six case studies in GSD vendor's organizations portray that the SIM is beneficial for GSD vendors to assess their software integration capability.

Impact pathways: managing relational risk in project operations

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess how we implement new ways of managing relational risk at the operational level of outsourced projects and to provide guidance to project management (PM) policy makers and practitioners seeking to ensure project operations consistently deliver project relational risk management (PRRM) strategies.Design/methodology/approachThrough exploratory study data were obtained from a panel of six experts in PM and from a pilot survey of PM practitioners. The data reveal future directions and vectors for scholarship and research activity in terms of the impact of PRMM-related mechanisms and deliverables on project success and the implementation process to enhance PRRM as a key PM capability.FindingsDeliverables for PRRM need to part of a multidimensional framework that includes mechanisms besides the contract. Such a framework enables the codification of PM knowledge so that PRRM contributes to project success. With knowledge codified, PRRM strategies can be consistently delivered at the operational level. The framework is novel in that it integrates hereto disparate elements that are encompassed under the broad umbrella of relational governance mechanisms.Practical implicationsPM policy makers and practitioners recognise the importance of effective relationships to deliver projects successfully, yet they lack practical solutions to address the negative effects of dysfunctional relationships. The authors provide a list of PM deliverables for effective PRRM, including deliverables besides those related to the contract, which can be used in practice to bring the gap between PRRM strategy development and implementation. This will enable client organisations that outsource their projects to an external contractor to enhance their PRRM capability and increase the likelihood of project success.Originality/valueThe authors provide insights into how PRRM is practised at the project operations’ level where PM is outsourced. These insights lead to three pathways of impactful Operations Management (OM)/PM scholarship and research, namely, the following: 1) How PM deliverables act as a key success factor for effective PRRM? 2) How the duality of roles carried out by PM actors influences PRMM practices? 3) How companies innovate to enhance their PRMM capability? These pathways will enable PM research and scholarship to address disconnects between PRMM strategy and operations and hence go beyond answering “what” PRMM is to encompass “how” it is implemented.

The role of purchasing in raising the maturity of smart maintenance management

PurposeThe aim of this study is to provide insights into how the purchasing function can increase the maturity of smart maintenance management (SMM) in construction clients by (1) assessing current SMM maturity and (2) developing an adapted service triad for purchasing's meaningful involvement in SMM.Design/methodology/approachA multiple case research design was used, and data were collected from four higher education institutes in the Netherlands through an assessment of their current SMM maturity. Coding and a cross-case analysis were used to qualitatively analyze the data to identify roles and value chain integration factors as intermediate steps in adapting the service triad to a service hexad.FindingsWithin construction client organizations, collaboration between maintenance management, project management and ICT services requires improvement. The proposed service hexad redefines the client's SMM roles with the aim of improving collaboration. The authors discuss how this enables a transition to higher levels of SMM maturity.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings were derived from a particular class of construction clients: higher education institutes that operate owner-occupied properties. Although the service hexad could be adapted, to owner-occupied multi-user properties, further research is necessary to assess its relevance for investor-owned properties.Practical implicationsImplementing the service hexad provides construction clients with a stronger position in supply networks. It clarifies the briefing process in construction management and emphasizes the data supply responsibilities of construction management professionals.Originality/valueThe study draws on the service triads and meaningful involvement concepts from the purchasing literature and applies them to SMM.

МЕТОД ФОРМАЛІЗАЦІЇ БІЗНЕС-ПРОЦЕСІВ У КОНСАЛТИНГУ

In conditions of growing competition and economic instability, the key element of effective oper-ation forany organization is the ability to constantly develop, implement new technologies, and quickly adapt. As a result, many companies require expert assistance in identifying organizational problems, developing, and implementing ways to solve them. This underscores the increasing role of consulting as a leading institution in the economy and as a tool for ensuring the viability of enterprises.This article is dedicated to exploring the theoretical foundations and peculiarities of using for-malization methods toimprove business processes in consulting company activities. The essence of the main concepts is defined, and an analysis of the characteristics and scope of using descriptive, logical, symbolic, and mathematical formalization methods is conducted. The material from scientific works of domestic and foreign authors regarding the purpose and directions of formalization application in or-ganizational management is summarized. The role of formalization methods in implementing a process approach as the primary tool for designing, documenting, measuring, monitoring, and controlling busi-ness processes is justified.The nature of management consulting is characterized as an intra-organizational system for en-suring management efficiency, as well as a separate type ofeconomic activity. The use of formalization methods in consulting is considered both as a consulting tool in projects to improve the business pro-cesses of client organizations and as a way to increase the effectiveness of management decisions within the consulting company itself.Based on the Process Classification Framework proposed by APQC, a structure of business pro-cesses for a consulting company is suggested, and the characteristics and advantages of using formali-zation methods to improve them are described. The concept of business process consistency is proposed to characterize the property of its reproducibility with the provision of stable identity of results. It is noted that an important factor in achieving business process consistency is trainingpersonnel in both "reading" formalized procedure descriptions and the corresponding skills for their execution.

Building capabilities for software development firm competitiveness: The role of intellectual capital and intra-firm relational capital

Software is critical to nearly every organization's performance and can create value for all organizational functions. Given that software development firms that create solutions for client organizations are by necessity constantly seeking competitive advantage, the central objective of this research was to investigate the impact of capability building on software development firm competitiveness. Developing software is a knowledge-intensive and often complex process that requires internal exchanges among knowledgeable and capable employees within the firm. Accordingly, for software development firms, capability building is critical for competitive advantage. This research draws from capability, intellectual capital, and relational capital research streams and develops an intra-firm relational capital to intellectual capital model of capability building for software development. Analyses of data from key informants of 200 software development firms provide strong support for our model. We discuss the implications of our research for the competitiveness of software development firms for capability, intellectual capital, and relational capital theories and for firm practices.

A relationship between perceived investment in temporary employee development and organizational performance: an empirical study

PurposeOwing to business uncertainty, it is prudent for organizations to rely on temporary employees to achieve numerical flexibility. This paper investigates the effect of perceived investment in temporary employee development (PITED) on organizational performance (OP) through the mediation process of organizational identification (OI), work engagement (WE) and the moderation process of perceived human resource policies (PHRP). A conceptual framework was built on social exchange theory and job demands-resource theory.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from skilled temporary employees deputed at client organizations in the information technology business process management (IT-BPM) industry. Analysis was done using the partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) method using SmartPLS 3.0 software.FindingsThe study established a significant association between PITED, OI and OP, in which OI acts as a partial mediator. In contrast, the mediating relationship of WE between PITED and OP was insignificant. PHRP moderated the relationship between PITED and OP.Practical implicationsThis research suggests to top management and human resource leaders that PITED makes temporary employees identify with client organizations, resulting in increased OP.Originality/valueThis research builds on theoretical assumptions to adopt a temporary employee perspective on organizational initiatives and performance in the IT-BPM industry, which is uncommon.

Blockchain technology implementation challenges in supply chains – evidence from the case studies of multi-stakeholders

PurposeThe aim of the research is to identify and prioritise the implementation challenges of blockchain technology and suggests ways for its implementation in supply chains.Design/methodology/approachUnderlined by the technology, organisational, and external environment model, a conceptual framework with four challenge categories and sixteen challenges is proposed. Data collected from three stakeholder groups with experience in the implementation of blockchain technology in India is analysed by employing an analytical hierarchy process method-based case study. Further, a criticality–effort matrix analysis is performed to group challenges and suggest ways for implementation.FindingsThe analysis revels that all stakeholders perceive complexity challenge associated with the technology, organisational structure, and external environment, and issues of compatibility with existing systems, software, and business practices to be high on the criticality and effort scales, which thus require meticulous planning to manage. Likewise, top-management support issues related to insufficient understanding of how technology fits with the organisation’s policy and benefits offered by the technology requires high effort to address this challenge.Research limitations/implicationsThe results were obtained by focusing on the Indian context and therefore may not apply to other nations’ contexts.Practical implicationsBy investigating the challenges that the developers, consultants, and client organisations need to address, this study assists managers in developing plans to facilitate coordination among these organisations for successful blockchain implementation.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge this study is the first to identify and prioritise the challenges from the perspectives of multiple stakeholder groups with experience in blockchain technology implementation.

QMS external quality auditors’ competency requirements: perspectives from accredited certification bodies in Malaysia

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to identify the perceived lack of certain core knowledge, skills and attributes in external quality auditors (EQAs) that contributes to an audit process that does not add value for client organizations. This paper describes the development of a competency requirement framework for quality management system (QMS) EQAs that would improve their capability and audit performance.Design/methodology/approachA review of relevant international literature on auditor competence and education, clients' expectations on external auditors, explicit and implicit expectations based on ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 19011:2018, and current auditor capability was conducted to obtain insights into the present situation and requirements of the environment. A survey questionnaire was then utilized in the collection of data from 19 heads of certification and technical reviewers of accredited certification bodies (CBs) in Malaysia. Univariate and bivariate analysis were used in analyzing the data from respondents.FindingsThe overall results show that the most important components of knowledge for EQAs to possess are quality management principles, system and standards; risk management; and business process and operations management. In terms of skills, the most important skills for auditors are auditing and report writing and critical/analytical thinking, followed by communication/interpersonal/people/ICT and team management. Attributes such as integrity, being ethical, professional and objective are found to be most important in EQAs to be effective and add value to the audits. Based on the results, the competency requirement framework of EQAs was developed.Originality/valueThis paper presents the knowledge, skills, attitudes and experience needed by EQAs identified by the CBs which is then developed into a competency requirements framework for future auditor training. The resulting framework from the study can be used by accreditation bodies, CBs and training organizations to evaluate and improve the auditors' competence and audit performance in the future.

Making time for life: A whole-of-industry initiative to reducing work hours and promoting health and gender inclusion in project-based construction work

A cross section of participants representing a ‘vertical slice’ of the construction industry workforce were interviewed to: (i) understand the way that long hours are experienced by project-based workers and the factors contributing to the long hours culture, and (ii) explore the factors motivating a ‘whole of industry’ cultural reform initiative focused on reducing work hours in the Australian construction industry. Deeply entrenched systems of work within the construction industry, including competitive tendering processes and the imposition of financial penalties for time overruns, contribute to long work hours that are detrimental to workers' health and wellbeing. Moreover, construction companies develop project programs on the basis of assumptions that projects will run smoothly in all respects. Risks associated with program ‘slippage’ are passed down the supply chain to subcontractors. The problem of long work hours in construction project work means that a single organisation (whether client or constructor) cannot adequately address the issue. This has led to public sector client organizations and private sector construction organizations to engage in a unique collaborative initiative to reduce work hours and, in doing so, enable health, wellbeing and gender diversity in the Australian construction industry.

The Impact of Covid-19 Lockdown on Working Capital Management and Profitability of Firms: A Case Study of Lesley Bakers PVT LTD

This research study was carried out to analyse the impact of Covid-19 Lockdown towards working capital management and profitability of companies. The main complications faced were loss of market whilst operational costs remained on the same level. Enforcement of lockdown regulations such as curfews and intercity travel bans posed a threat in profit statuses of many firms. A challenge also faced was reduction of workforce to meet World Health Organisation requirements of social distancing and health safety protocols. The researchers applied quantitate descriptive research design to gather data from the baker’s employees. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Lesley was driven by the conservative approach techniques whereby it was required to reduce receivables from customers, maintaining high stocks, and timely settlement of liabilities. However, following the covid-19 global pandemic which led to many business operations being ceased and many of the organisation's clients which are in the formal sector to be highly affected resulting in the delaying of amounts due. The sudden increase in debtors would result in cash shortages to fund other operations and pay the current liabilities. Furthermore, the findings indicated slow payment by credit customers meaning that most of the firm’s accounts receivable remains outstanding for a long period of time. This is evidenced by high percentages of accounts receivable compared to other current assets of the firm. The researchers found that effective working capital management techniques had to be applied to continue operations. The researchers recommend companies to minimize their operational, production and capital expenditure in response to reduced market forces. Government support should be granted to local firms since they are no longer importing materials or exporting products, whilst the firm apply efficient working capital techniques.

I Need to Know: Using the CeHRes Roadmap to Develop a Treatment Feedback Tool for Youngsters with Mental Health Problems.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) are often used to monitor treatment outcomes in youth mental health care. Unfortunately, youngsters are rarely informed about the results of their PROMs or, when they are, it is in an insufficient manner. Therefore, a web application was developed—together with youngsters—aimed at giving them feedback about their PROMs. The aim of this study is to describe the development process of the application. An expert panel consisting of youngsters, web designers and researchers, as well as a representative from a client organisation, developed the e-health application INK (short for ‘I Need to Know’) in an iterative process based on the Centre for eHealth Research roadmap (CeHRes roadmap). Youngsters prefer, among other aspects, a simple, easy-to-use e-health application with a colourful appearance and want to be able to compare their results across different time points and informants. The INK tool provides youngsters with insight into their PROM results. Based on the youngsters’ preferences, INK users can choose which feedback information is visible. INK facilitates youngsters’ active participation in their treatment as well as shared decision-making with their professional caregivers.

Determinants of Customer Loyalty in a Cloud Computing Environment

This study's two objectives are first to assess the relationships between customer loyalty and potential determinants (customer satisfaction with the website, after sale customer service, and product return handling) in the special PaaS environment where users can produce a greater variety of website features compared to the more widely studied SaaS environment and second to test the impact of the website's customer decision support system as a potential moderator for the relationship between customer satisfaction with the website and customer loyalty. To test the hypotheses, 138 CC client organizations participated by collecting data from their website customers accessing their order entry website applications. The results confirmed the importance of the proposed relationships and enabled several important managerial insights, including the importance of client organization choosing the appropriate CC approach to improve customer loyalty to the website.

Same same but different: dynamics of a pre-procurement routine and its influence on relational contracting models

To improve the performance of construction projects, the use of relational contracting (e.g. Project Partnering, Alliancing, Early Contractor Involvement, Integrated Project Delivery) has increased among public clients in the last few decades. Despite widespread use, there are still large variations in contracting arrangements. In addition, the outcome of relational contracting remains unpredictable. The aim of this paper is to investigate how these variations may originate from internal dynamics and practices in the project-based client organisation. Adapting organisational routines as an analytical lens, the study investigates the pre-procurement routine applied to develop project-specific relational contracting models (e.g. contract schemes, reward systems, and award criteria) for large construction projects in the Swedish Transport Administration. The study contributes to research on organisational routines in project-based settings, illustrating how flexible enactment of a pre-procurement routine may balance two conflicting organisational goals: centralisation of procurement and project-level flexibility. However, while mitigating conflicting goals, the routine enactments create a variation in project-specific procurement models that hampers long-term goals of predictability and shared practices of relational contracting. Consequently, findings indicate that public clients seeking to transform contracting practices must increase their ability to develop procurement routines that can balance organisational goals and simultaneously benefit long-term goals.